President Igor Dodon said it would be ideal to hold snap parliamentary elections simultaneously with the presidential elections set for November 1. According to him, the Party of Socialists went to the Constitutional Court to see if this is possible and, if such a possibility exists, a technical solution will be identified and everything will be organized swiftly, IPN reports.
“As you know, Parliament this week set the presidential elections for November 1 this year, at my suggestion. This is an important decision as we should give a clear signal that the current administration does not intend to extend the President’s term in office. Under the law, the President will be elected directly by the people,” Igor Dodon stated in the program “President Responds”.
President Dodon noted he hopes the epidemiological situation will enable to hold the presidential elections in autumn. “If Parliament declares a state of emergency, all the elections are annulled or put off, as it is provided by the Constitution. So, if there are many cases of infection with the coronavirus in autumn, we will have to postpone the elections. I will yet insist that the elections should be held in autumn,” he stated.
Asked how long the government coalition between the Party of Socialists and the Democratic Party could last, Igor Dodon said that if two-three more MPs leave this parliamentary majority, Parliament should be better dissolved. The PSRM-PDM coalition will work for several weeks or several months as the probability is rather high. As an MP was tested positive for COVID-19, the MPs should self-isolate for 14 days and no Parliament sittings will be probably held during the next two weeks.
As to the Government led by Ion Chicu, President Dodon said it is normal for criticism to exist, but the executive fulfills its duties and copes with the pandemic. If there are fewer than 50 MPs in the coalition, a common meeting with the Premier and Speaker will be held to decide if the current Government should work further in the absence of a parliamentary majority.
“I don’t think it will be so easy to name a new government in this situation. I told you that there is complete chaos in Parliament. I don’t think the right will risk, even if I would be glad if it risked and allied with Plahotniuc to name a new government. If they assume such a responsibility, they should field a candidate for President and we will think,” said Igor Dodon.
